Congress extends olive branch to NCP for speaker's post

Congress with 42 MLAs has fielded former minister Vasha Gaikwad for speaker's post

It's seems the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) who had parted ways ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra once again will come together. This time the estranged allies may unite for the speaker's post.

The Congress today reached out to the NCP seeking its support for party nominee for the speaker's post in the assembly.

Congress with 42 MLAs has fielded former minister Vasha Gaikwad and party legislator from Dharavi in North Central Mumbai for the speaker's election slated for November 12.

This was the first move by the Congress to approach the NCP after both the parties parted ways and contested the assembly polls separartely.

Congress's move that is seen as crucial comes at a time when the NCP with 41 MLAs has already announced its outside support for the BJP-led government.

Earlier, the Congress had claimed a "match-fixing" between the NCP and the BJP.

However, Congress group leader in the assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said state party unit president Manikrao Thakre and his NCP counterpart Sunil Tatkare have already held talks in this regard. ''NCP is holding its meeting late in the evening and will convey its decision,'' he added.

Vikhe-Patil said Congress has not approached the Shiv Sena as its talks with the BJP on joining government were still going on. Shiv Sena with 63 legislators has also fielded Vijay Auti for the speaker's election.

On chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's call for unopposed election, Vikhe-Patil said Congress will take its decision only after chief minister's proposal. BJP has fielded former minister Haribhau Bagde for the speaker's post.